George g



' aint IMPROVEMENT ni GATES.

@its tlgrtnle nfnnh tu it ilgcse tcttn's- 53eme mit 'uniting ind st its5min.

T0 ALL WIIOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, GEORGE Gr. CURTISS, of Rochester, in the county etMonroe, and State ofy New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Gates; and I do hereby declare that the following is at'ull and exact description thereof', reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, makingpart o` this specification. i

Figure I is an eleva-tion of a yard gate provided with my improvements.

Figure 2, a vertical cross-section of the same. 4 i

Figures 3 and 4, elevations of a farm gatein the closed and openpositions, with my improvements applied thereto.

Figure 5, a perspective view of the double-acting latch arrangement forholding the gate open und shut.

Iiike letters of reference indica-te corresponding parts in all thefigures.

My improvement belongsto that class in which the gate simply slidesbackward and forward on rollers. The invention consists more especiallylin the emplcyment'of double extended inclined rails, suitably braced,which insure an automatic action in closing; and furthermore, inthespecial arrangement of the frictionrollcrs and guide, and thedouble-acting latch, for holding the gate either open or closed.

As represented in the drawings, A is a gate, constructed with picketsfor lyard use, and rails: for farm use, as usual. This gate is providedwith double inclined rails, B B', one extending the length of the gateproper, and the other an equal distance beyond, so` as to allow thenecessary range of motion'. From the extreme outer end of thc extendedrail, Il', a brace, d, passes upward to the gate, the` connection beingpreferably made by iron straps,ff, as shown. The inclines B B rest upontwo rollers, ct a', at suitable distance apart to properly balance. IThe roller a has a llange outside the rail to prevent lateral motion,and the rail is kept upon it by another roller, I), situated above. Asingle inclined rail, extending the length of the gate, has before beenemployed, running upon rollers, and an extended rail has also beenemployed, but situated horizentallyrand not inclined as in my device. Inthe former, the object has simply been to'make the gateselacting inclosing by its own weight, while in the latter the object has been tosteady the gate, hold it firmly in place, and guide it in action,-andthat without extending the length of the gate proper itself bach beyondwhat is necessary to close the passage. By the employment .of the doubleinclines B B', I combine in a single device'all the advantages of thotwo above mentioned. While I elevate the gate in opening se as to riseabove obstructions, and make it self-acting in closing, I at the sainetime avoid extending the length of the gate proper bach further than thelength ofthe space it closes; but such a length of inclines is attainedthat the gate has the requisite range of motion, and in this action itis held perfectly steady and iirm against the weight of the gate itself.I am not aware that this effect has ever before been attained. Theemployment of the brace CZ holds the extern sion B always firm andstill` with the gate.V It will be noticed that the parts B and cl standon asimilar but an opposite incline, so that the rail is not only bracedagainst' downward but also againstl upward strain. The angle is such asto accomplish the best eilect. The gate is thus made stili' and rigidfrom end to end. Were it not for the brace, the rail, from its slendersize and considerable length, might warp, bend, and break, from thegreat leverage of the gate. For yard gates I prefer to arrange theroller a as` shown in figs. 1 and 2. It is situated under the usualrail, g, to which the pickets are nailed, and within the base-board h onthe opposite side, so that it is perfectly shielded from the weather. Inorderto retain it in this peculiar situation I enclose it in bearings, ce, of a clip or stirrup, D, which passes down under theV base-board andattaches to the post. The inner bearing e in this case serves as theguide to hold the gate from lateral action. The guide z', thatholds thetop ofthe gate, I make in vthe form of a wheel or slide, which 'has aflange outside striking into Va groove in a rail, an, and a flange orshoulder on the inside which rests in the slot of aplate, l, secured tothe side of the post. This slot is of suiiicicnt length to allow thenecessary vertical action of the wheel or slide as the gate moves backand forth. This wheel `or slide adapts itself to the gate at allpositions, and always retains it in place. vOwing to the fact thatpioketsare used, which obstruct the rails, the ordinary hook-guidecannot be conveniently employed. At the upper front end of the gate ispivoted a latch, C, having'catches, o p, situated in oppositedirections, and engaging respectively with pins, g g', connected withthe opposite posts. In opening, the catch p will strike the pin, and,catching over it, will hold the gate open; and'in closing, the catch owill strike the opposite pin, in the mortise n, and hol'cl the gateclosed. This forms a ver)VT convenient and effective device to be usedwith theself-acting gate, as it holds it in both positions, and but onelatch is required.

I do not claim broadly and separately either an incline, to make a gateself-acting, or nn extended rail, to retain it in'position, asy I amaware that the same have before been known; but

What I-claim as my invention, and desire to secure bylLetteis Patent,isf 1. In combination with a sliding gate, A, the employment of thedouble-inclined rails B B', the one runningr the length ofthe gate, andthe other extending beyond andiserving to hold'the gate in place, whileat the same time it insures its self-action, the whole arranged andoperating as anl'for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The combination ofthe brace d, with the extended inclined'rail B andgate A, as and for the purpose specified. i

3. The combination nnd arrangement of the clip o1' stirrup D, holdingthe roller a, operating as herein set forth.

4. 'The combination ofthe sliding guide z' with gate A and inelines BB', as set forth. A 5. The double-acting latch C, employed incombination with the gate A, as specilie'd.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

' GEO. o. CURTISS. Witnesses:

R. F. OsGooD, J. A. DAVIS.

